


jealousy

by 5sosandfood



Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band)
Genre: M/M, i missed writing one shots so much i forgot how much i loved this, lauren is a major part in this too, maybe this one is good who knows
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-30
Updated: 2014-05-30
Packaged: 2018-01-27 14:23:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,776
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1713815
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/5sosandfood/pseuds/5sosandfood
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Luke’s captured Lauren’s fancy to an unhealthy extreme. He’s literally the only thing she ever talks about, and Ashton really can’t help but be jealous of the affection that she shows toward Luke in contrast to the affection she shows toward Ashton.</p>
            </blockquote>





	jealousy

Jealousy comes in all shapes and sizes, you know?

 

There’s love jealousy where you want someone so bad that you conduct a burning hatred toward anyone standing in the way; there’s friendship jealousy where you start to feel as though you’re fading considering the time that your best friend is spending with someone new.

 

Sibling jealousy? That’s a case that Ashton Irwin suffers from.

 

Ashton’s younger sister, Lauren, is infatuated with the boy down the road, Luke.

 

Now, don’t get Ashton wrong, he thinks Luke’s a great guy. Not once has he ever been rude to Lauren, or even to Ashton, but Ashton can’t help but hate the kid.

 

Luke’s captured Lauren’s fancy to an unhealthy extreme. He’s literally the only thing she ever talks about, and Ashton really can’t help but be jealous of the affection that she shows toward Luke in contrast to the affection she shows toward Ashton. It’s about a ninety to ten ratio.

 

It doesn’t help either that they all are forced to ride the bus together. Lauren, Ashton, and Harry, Ashton’s younger brother, always sit in the same seat, and Lauren constantly giggles at her crush and the admirable things he does. It’s unbearably annoying, so ninety-nine percent of the time, he’s forced to put in some ear buds to block out her fonding. There’s been some occasions that Harry got fed up as well, and asked Ashton to please spare an ear bud to save his poor, young ears.

 

It’s about a five year age gap between Luke and Lauren, and Ashton isn’t sure whether or not she knows that Luke doesn’t want to date her. Ashton’s heard her gushing to friends on the phone about how Luke smiled at her or Luke said _hi_ to her, which leads Ashton to believe that she sees his actions in a different light than Luke meant for them to be seen. Ashton supposed that was a good thing about Luke—he was a nice kid, really, just not nice enough to consume Lauren’s life in the way he has.

 

Ashton knows that Luke can’t help it, but could the boy try not to be so damn likable?

 

On a Friday, the siblings all pile into the bus seat. Ashton can’t help but notice Lauren nervously fidgeting.

 

“What’s wrong?” Ashton asks, reaching over Harry to place a concerned hand on Lauren’s shoulder.

 

“I’m nervous, Ashton. I’m gonna ask Luke to come over and help me with my maths.”

 

Ashton’s face falls flat. _Of course it’s about Luke._

 

“Lauren, you know I can help with your maths.”

 

“Ash, you’ve always helped me with my maths. I like Luke. I want him to help me with my maths.”

 

“Lauren,” Ashton sighs. The time has come for Lauren to learn the cold, hard truth—Luke isn’t interested. “You know that Luke is seventeen, right?”

 

Lauren nods happily.

 

“Yes, we’re only five years apart! Did you know that Jenna’s parents are _eight_ years apart? I have a really good chance with Luke.”

 

Ashton sighs again, pinching the bridge of his nose. There’s no way she’ll believe it if Ashton were to tell her that Luke is far too out of reach.

 

“Alright, Lauren,” Ashton sighs once more, this time with defeat. “Go ask him. Be right back though, okay?”

 

“Okay!” Lauren exclaim, giddily jumping from her seat. “Thank you, Ashy.”

 

“Hey, be careful!” Ashton calls after the girl as she hops down the aisle to Luke’s seat a few rows back. She seems to ignore her older brother, however, not sparing him the second glance.

 

Ashton demands Harry to switch seats with him, and once they’re swapped and situated, Ashton puts his feet in the aisle so he can comfortably eavesdrop. It’s a bit of a challenge, the eavesdropping, but Ashton’s learned the art of the privacy violation in his eighteen years.

 

“Hi, Luke,” Ashton hears Lauren say.

 

“Hi, Lauren,” Luke replies in the same polite tone he always uses to speak to the young girl.

 

“Um, I was wondering if you could come to mine later tonight to help me with my maths?”

 

“Sure!” Luke replies, not hesitating in the slightest. Ashton’s face screws up—why the hell does he sound so excited? “Is five a good time?”

 

“Yes!” Lauren replies. Ashton doesn’t think he’s ever heard the girl so ecstatic. “Thank you!”

 

“S’no problem,” Luke answers, and Ashton quickly returns to his seat before Lauren comes back.

 

“Luke’s coming over at five tonight!” Lauren exclaims, then goes off rambling about what a perfect human Luke is.

 

Harry and Ashton give each other one glance, and they both slip in an ear bud.

•••

Ashton’s mother puts out a snack tray for Lauren and Luke before he comes over, and Ashton watches from the doorway in disgust.

 

“I can’t believe you’re supporting this,” Ashton mutters to his mum as she walks by. His statement brings her to halt.

 

“Ashton, it’s a crush. Let her enjoy this,” mum says, her tone disapproving.

 

“I don’t know about this kid anymore, mum!” Ashton exclaims. “You should’ve heard him say yes! He lit up like a damn Christmas tree! It’s like he wanted her to ask him over.”

 

“Ashton, Luke is a good kid. I’ve known his family for years. They’re good people.”

 

“Will you at least let me stay in the living room while they study?” Ashton asks. “I don’t want him putting any moves on her.”

 

“You can drop in.”

 

“No!” Ashton bursts. “Do you know what could happen between my ‘drop in’s? Lots, mum, lots.”

 

“Ashton Fletcher Irwin, I’m ashamed that you think Luke Hemmings is going to try something on Lauren.”

 

She storms off without another word, and Ashton’s guilt weighs down his heart when he sees the excitement practically radiating from Lauren.

 

Maybe he should give it a break.

•••

It only takes ten minutes of Luke being there before Ashton decides he can’t give it a break.

 

He walks downstairs to find Luke and Lauren sat next to each other on the couch, Luke explaining something about exponents—Ashton guesses it’s scientific notation.

 

“Hi, Ashton,” he chirps once he feels the presence of someone else in the room.

 

“Hey, Luke,” Ashton replies, flashing a quick half smile and proceeding straight into the kitchen without a second glance to Lauren and Luke. Apparently, they don’t pay a second thought to Ashton either, because they’re immediately back to scientific notation.

 

Ashton puts on a pot of coffee, listening intently to Luke and Lauren. Thankfully, though, for Ashton, it’s strictly maths.

 

“Hey, Ashton, are you making coffee?” Luke calls out.

 

“Yeah,” Ashton answers. “Do you want a cup?”

 

“If you wouldn’t mind?”

 

Ashton nods and reaches into the cabinet for another mug.

 

To preoccupy himself while he waits for the coffee to finish brewing, Ashton mindlessly drums against the counter. He wouldn’t take pride in it, but drumming was a little thing he’d do every once in a while.

 

“Do you have any notes on slope intercept form?” Luke asks Lauren. Ashton’s glad they had moved on to another lesson and that Lauren finally understood scientific notation—she had definitely been struggling in that area.

 

“Yeah, they’re in my backpack upstairs. Do you want me to go get them?”

 

“Please?” Luke replies. Ashton hears Lauren stampede up the steps, and he chuckles, looking that way to see Luke standing and giving his arms a well-deserved stretch.

 

Luke moseys into the kitchen, standing in the vertex of the two counters and stretching his arms across either counter.

 

Ashton can feel Luke’s blue eyes watching him, but he can’t be bothered to return the gesture.

 

“You know why I’m here, right Ashton?” Luke finally says. Ashton looks away from the dripping coffee to meet Luke’s stare. He furrows his eyebrows.

 

“Um, you’re here to tutor Lauren, right?” Ashton asks, confused.

 

Luke chuckles.

 

“Well, no… I mean, wouldn’t necessarily call it an excuse…just a perfect opportunity.”

 

“Luke, what the fuck are you talking about?”

 

Ashton is becoming furious. _A perfect opportunity?_ Ashton knew that Luke would try to rape Lauren.

 

“I’m talking about you, Ashton!” Luke bursts, his knuckles growing white as he grips the counter. “A perfect opportunity to talk to _you_! I like _you_!”

 

“You like me?” Ashton repeats, nearly spitting out the words.

 

“Yes,” Luke breathes. “I guess you could say I view you the way Lauren views me.”

 

“That’s fucking creepy as hell,” Ashton states, no humor in his voice whatsoever as he folds his arms across his chest.

 

Luke laughs though, not understanding how serious Ashton really was.

 

“I’m not joking. She worships you.”

 

The smile is quickly wiped from Luke’s face.

 

“I—um…I didn’t know that,” Luke stammers, replacing his amused smile with a shy one. “I don’t worship you.”

 

“Thank you then. Really.”

 

Ashton isn’t quite sure how to react to the situation. He really couldn’t stand Luke, and he didn’t think that Luke cared what Ashton thought of him. It’s completely different now, and maybe since Luke does, in fact, care, Ashton’s rethinking his opinion on Luke.

 

“Look, sorry if that, like, freaked you out, it’s just—”

 

“Luke, I got the notes!” Lauren calls out, and Ashton and Luke both redirect their attention to the girl proudly waving her small stack of papers.

 

Just about that time, the coffee finishes brewing and Ashton pours Luke a cup. He takes it black.

•••

Ashton had done a bit of thinking and decided that maybe he could try to work something out with Luke. After all, Luke was a too-nice-for-his-own-good kind of guy, and Ashton realized a long time ago that boys like that are scarce—he should jump at the opportunity.

 

So when Luke announces his departure at six thirty, Ashton insists on walking him home.

 

“You look so cute,” Luke whispers soon after the boys begin their short journey to Luke’s house.

 

“What was that?” Ashton asks, smiling brightly. Of course he heard Luke, but he’d just like to hear it said again.

 

“You’re just… you look really cute tonight. What with your beanie and your cute little curls sticking out everywhere. And your shirt, Ashton. There are fucking holes _all over_ your shirt, which should be hot, but you make it cute. You make everything cute, and I just—dammit, I sound like an idiot.”

 

Ashton almost chuckles, but he can’t seem to pull anything from his vocal chords. No one has ever said anything like that to him. He’s never received such a heartfelt outpouring of how simply adorable he is.

 

Finally though, Ashton recovers and is quick on his feet once again.

 

“Pretty sure I like you too, Hemmings.”


End file.
